You shouldn't feel like the "Lone Ranger"!!! It happens to all of us at one time or another.
The exact same thing has and is happening to me.
Any old car is gonna need to have parts replaced. Unless ya have a huge bank account to get it all done at once, which I don't, you just have to slowly go thru and replace things as it comes up.
Look at the bright side............."cheap insurance"......NO car payment.......decent on gas.......everybody and their brother do not own one.............different............and when gas goes to $4 a gallon....you can buzz right on by everyone in line at the gas station and just snicker!!!
Does that help any???